aalborg universitet the danish contribution andreasen, lars … · project acronym: l@jost project...

Aalborg Universitet

The Danish contribution

Andreasen, Lars Birch; Ørngreen, Rikke; Levinsen, Karin

Published in:Transnational analysis

Publication date:2010

Document VersionPublisher's PDF, also known as Version of record

Link to publication from Aalborg University

Citation for published version (APA):Andreasen, L. B., Ørngreen, R., & Levinsen, K. (2010). The Danish contribution. In R. Egetenmeyer, V. Iorio, &S. Rueffin (Eds.), Transnational analysis: identification of students' needs for job finding and employers'expectations. a transnational analysis with a focus of graduates in psychology, sociology and educationalsciences

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Project Acronym: L@Jost

Project Title: Learn About Finding Jobs from Digital Storytelling

Contract Number: 143429-LLP-1-2008-1-RO-KA3-KA3MP-DE

Starting date: 1 December 2008 Ending date: 30 November 2010

Title of the Deliverable: Content guideline for national collection

of data from the e-Formulars (final version)

WP related to the Deliverable: WP4: Identification of students’ needs for job finding and employers’ expectations.

Author(s): Dr. Regina Egetenmeyer Valentina Iorio University of Duisburg-Essen

Date of Delivery: 25 September 2009

THE DANISH CONTRIBUTION By Lars Birch Andreasen, Rikke Orngreen and Karin Levinsen

Project Co-ordinator

IREA, Laura Malita

WP4: CONTENT GUIDELINE FOR THE NATIONAL COLLECTION OF DATA CONTAINED IN THE E-FORMULARS

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WP4: CONTENT GUIDELINE FOR THE NATIONAL COLLECTION OF DATA CONTAINED

IN THE E-FORMULARS

The Danish data collection and needs analysis took place through:

1. A workshop, including interviews with students and ex-students

2. Telephone interviews with employers

3. The development of a national report on the Danish labour market

4. Two reports surveying the career of ex-students from DPU (Danish

School of Education, Aarhus University)

In Denmark a workshop was held on the 10 March 2009 (from 2-6 pm), with 6 participants who were all former or current students from DPU. DPU offers post-graduate (master level) educational programmes; therefore the participants that currently studies at DPU already have a bachelor degree from other institutions. The participants were:

- One, who had just finished her master degree and was in the first week of beginning of a job seeking process (but had worked previously as teacher before studying at DPU).

- Two who had finished their master degrees recently and now got new jobs. Both were already employed, while they were seeking these new jobs. One got her new position 10 months ago; the other had just got it, but not begun yet.

- Three who were at present students at DPU, but who had many, many years of work experience and two of them still employed at the same place as prior to beginning studies at DPU.

The workshop took place as an arena for exploring needs and possibilities, as well as a forum for experimenting with user-driven digital storytelling using multimodal representations. The participants were invited through notice board and mailing lists at the few existing DPU alumni organisations. The six participants thus volunteered to use their everyday spare time to join in this workshop (which for one involved a long transportation time as well). Prior to the workshop the participants were asked to use 1 hour of preparation. Here they had to consider the question: How did you find your current position, what challenged you and what helped you during the process and where there elements in the requirements or the process that surprised you? In order to consider these questions, we mailed them material in advance (so called probes, which consisted of postcards with questions that we had made, which they should fill out. These postcards had a front-page that we designed and a heading on the


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backside, but leaving the most of the backside blank for their notes. We also asked them to collect pictures (from the Internet, magazines... ) which illustrated their process and bring them to the workshop. At the workshop the participants worked individually and collectively – facilitated by us. At first they were asked to carry out a peer-to-peer interview, that was recorded using a pc with a web-cam (reported on here below) and afterwards they worked on producing the actual digital stories, using the webcam interviews and recording their stories at the end of the workshop. Three participants managed to finish their digital stories using the multimodal software Photo Story. The whole workshop was in addition documented using video, photographs and post-notes. The participants were asked to sign an ethical consent allowing the produced material for public release.

The L@JOST e-formulars were unfortunately not ready as planned, at the time of the workshop. However, as the Danish partner encouraged peer-to-peer interviews, in order to explore the needs of current job seekers better. These interviews were recorded and have been transcribed and are reported on here. We have not included the digital stories here, but will work with them further in contributing to the website and the digital stories that the project will produce.

In order to benefit from the knowledge of employers regarding the application and hiring process, we have conducted two semi-structured telephone interviews using the e-formulars guide for employers. The e-formular questionnaire was used as support for creating a Danish guideline. One of the interviewed received the guideline prior to the interview, the other did not. The interviews were afterwards analysed and reported on in the second section of this report. It is noteworthy that though the respondent wanted anonymity, which we of course offered, they come from to very different segments, from which different lessons can be learned. We have therefore kept the answered separated into these two segments. This process was planned and carried out in September 2009.

It is of outmost importance to know the Danish labour market, which is heavily influenced by governmental rules and politics, in order to understand the design needs and possibilities for supporting finding a job through digital storytelling on a web2.0 site. As a consequence the Danish partner has written a report on this subject, which we have included in the heading: additional information, at the end of this report. At DPU, two surveys with extensive data collection and following analysis of graduated students has been made. These were conducted through questionnaire in the winter of 2005 and 2006. The studies are called “Candidates from DPU – How do they do in relation to jobs?”1

1 Lars Klewe (2005): ”Kandidater fra Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitet - Hvordan går det dem senere jobmæssigt? November 2005”. Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitet. Available at: http://www.dpu.dk/everest/showdoc.asp?id=051213151841&type=doc Lars Klewe (2006): ”Kandidater fra Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitet - Hvordan går det dem senere jobmæssigt? December 2006”. Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitet. Available at: http://www.dpu.dk/everest/showdoc.asp?id=061208111345&type=doc

The studies investigated the level of satisfaction between the graduates regarding their education, but also and primarily investigated in quite detail their career path. The L@JOST project can with great benefit draw on


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this data. In 2005, 58 answered the questionnaire, out of 74 candidates who received it, and in 2006, 117 out of 126 answered. This means the study rely on a relative large volume and accuracy regarding career paths from DPU ex-students. We have in the following made it explicit when we draw on data from either the workshop or the by the DPU conducted reports. There is consequently not a hundred percent correlation between the data collected and the e-formulars guide/questionnaire. However, we find the data collected gives a rich picture that can ground the further work in the L@JOST project, giving inspiration to both the creation of digital stories within the project context and the design of living community that gives room for exchanging experiences between the users.

EMPLOYED GRADUATES FROM THE FOLLOWING COUNTRY:

_Denmark__

I.

Sex of employed graduates: 6 females

INTRODUCTION

Average age of employed graduates: ???, perhaps around the 40y, but huge

variation between the six , i.e. some older some younger than 40.

Courses of studies / Field of specialisation: All participants had graduated from

or were currently studying at DPU, the Danish School of Education, Aarhus

University. The participants studied: Master of Education in Adult Learning and

Human Resources Development; Master of Arts (Education) in Educational Theory

and Curriculum Studies (Material Culture); Master of Arts (Education) in ICT-based

Educational Design2

Number of semesters: ???

. Some of the participants had previously been graduating as

e.g. School teacher, or had a degree in Communication and Adult Education.

II.

a) Process from searching for a job to signing a contract / What is important for finding a job:

SEARCHING FOR A JOB

2 „Master of Education” are programmes of one-year full-time study, while “Master of Arts (Education)” are two-year programmes of full-time study.


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b) What to do to find vacancies / Where to search: Application only to explicit vacancies:

c) What was helpful to know and what was needed to be done to find current job:

d) Role of networks: The workshop interviews: - In one situation a job interview at a school lead to the head master

recommending the job applicant to try and contact another school, which he

knew where hiring people. She ended up getting a job there.

- Network play a big role for some, and might even come about by meeting new

persons at a friend’s house, a party etc., and in temporary positions the

network within the organisation might lead to the next temporary position

within that same organisation. Also, showing initiative in forming or even

obtaining funds to new projects to continue a temporary position, was the road

forward for one person, within a project and research driven institution.

- One noted how she uses a lot of time / energy to consider what is it the job

add offer – what is it that the text really convey.

- Another explained how she found it very difficult to write the application, to

make it precise and concise, and to fit on one page. And when she then were

told that there are 80-100 applicants in the pile of “possible”, it can be very

difficult to keep the motivation going. And in the periods where she wrote a lot

of applications and then didn’t even make it to the interview, that is very de-

motivating, to the point where it becomes difficult to believe in one’s self and

ones abilities.

The DPU Survey of graduated students:

- Show that in searching for a job it is as important to apply the explicit job

announcements, as it is to send uninvited (unsolicited) applications.

- We can tell that over half of the graduated candidates have found news jobs

within a year from their graduation. Either they find new positions in teaching

at a higher or more specialised level than before graduation, or they get

leading positions as vice-principal, leader of a day care centre, or head of e.g.


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nurses. Others have found positions as project consultant or development

consultant in educational institutions or in the local authorities.

- Found that networks have played a significant role in relation to searching or

applying for a job for many of the students. For instance by friends or fellow

students encouraging them to apply for a specific job. Or by getting a

temporary job through a colleague in another municipality, and afterwards

turning it into a permanent position.

III.

a) Timeframes for job application:

APPLICATION PROCESS

b) Number of applications / interviews: c) Number of job offers:

Start working after how many months (after University graduation): The workshop interviews: - It seems job applicants should be prepared for the unprepared at job interviews.

One experienced a huge number of participants at the interview, which she was

not prepared for. One was asked about ones weak sides, which she had not

expected, as opposed to ones qualities, which she had prepared to talk about.

However, interesting enough another experienced the exact opposite.

- As preparation one mentioned she investigated – via the internet - the organisation

in which they have the interview.

- One began her job seeking process with long application letters including

recommendation letters, but today after having been at the “other side of the table”

she use briefer versions and omitting recommendation letters.

- One job applicant found herself in a situation where two jobs were offered, and

she had to consider carefully several issues regarding the tasks, the organisation,

its location, wages etc.

- One applicant for a management job found that the people present at the

interview, primarily the board, to some extend had different opinions about how

some things were done in such an organisation (which the applicant had previous

experience from). She felt rather than ignoring these issues, it was important that


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she as applicant also asked them to elaborate on what was meant. In the end it

turned out that they talked from two different perspectives, and she had learnt to

see and acknowledge their perspective today.


- Tell that some students found their new job already while they were studying,

while others find a job during the first year from their graduation. After one year,

about 20% were without a job, about 25% had the same job as before, and over

half had found a new job.

- Found that the application process is done in many ways, through networks, by

sending applications on job announcements, through networks at the

unemployment insurance funds, and by sending uninvited applications.

IV.

a) How to find out suitability of job:

SELECTION

b) Other factors that have influenced job selection: The workshop interviews:

- One participant had the experience that starting with temporary positions is a

good alternative (as substitute for people on paternity leave etc., in particular

in times of high unemployment rate). However, she also found that in some

situation it lead to bigger compromises than she wanted to commit to, as

regarding work style or not getting domain competences.

- As a newly graduate one investigated the ads according to specific

requirements regarding subject matter expertise etc. But years later found that

it is more important to try and get a job, and then afterward try and get the

tasks (teaching assignments etc) that one seeks.

- Several discuss the issue of finding out which jobs one is qualified for. For

instance what is the difference between the jobs one can apply for as a

bachelor and master candidate, when is one qualified and when over-

qualified?

- Some discussed that the number of available and suitable jobs may increase if

the search is increased to outside the region in which one lives, and if the


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search investigate not only national papers but also local trade union

magazines etc.

- Though only one of the participants had done so (and with success), they

discuss in their interview, that if they had not been successful in getting a job

or if they had specific job or type of organisation in mind, making unprompted

applications could be a good alternative.

- In one case the interview was not taking place in the actual setting, and it was

important for her to see the precise place of work and meet colleagues prior to

making the final acceptance of the job offer.


- Shows examples of finding the suitability of jobs during the job interviews. For

instance, one graduated student was over-qualified for the job she was

seeking, and she was instead offered another job as a consultant in the local

authority.

V.

a) External support is provided by the following organisation/s:

SUPPORT

b) Support was provided by the following people: c) Support through University:

Suggestions for improvement: Missing elements:

The workshop interviews: - One participant have decided in her next job seeking process, to use the trade

unions offers more, – as job seeking courses etc.

- A couple of them mention indirectly in the job interviews the personal network

support, not to get the job, but to keep on trying

VI.

a) Internship/s required by course of studies:

PERSONAL WORK EXPERIENCE

Internships done with current employer: How to find out about internships:


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b) Employment during university studies: Employment related to course of studies:

c) Relation of internships/jobs to current job: The DPU Survey of graduated students:

- Found that quite a number of the graduated students in work had already

during the university studies been working at the places where they now work.

The specific job content may have changed, but these people were already

known at the places.

VII.

a) Personal abilities that supported the job finding process:

PERSONAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Abilities that are important for working: b) Role of foreign languages:

Participation to exchange programmes: c) Ability to create an ePortfolio:

What is important/ What needs to be kept in mind when creating an ePortfolio: Suggestion for the creation of ePortfolios: Major difficulties:

The workshop interviews:

- The issue of measuring or evaluating required job competences with personal

requirements was often mentioned. For some it is Ok to begin in jobs that

have another focus than ones particular field of education, whereas for others

it is more important to feel confident with the tasks first, which is easier when it

lies within the field of education / competences and experiences one already

possesses.


- Describes an example of a candidate, that wrote a list of 10 points, she

wanted to work on, and presented the list to her employer, who was supportive

and applied for and got funding for a 5 year project position for the candidate.

Another graduated student wrote his ideas for new areas to develop and gave

them to an educational institution, who hired him to do it. It can therefore be


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said, that it may be important in the process of finding a job to try to create

one’s own job.

VIII.

a) Recommendations/ further advice to students:

CONCLUSION

The Danish partner assume, this is to be understood as advice to other

students looking from jobs from the students interviewed, none of the

interviews had that perspective, even though a lot of experience based

advice can be derived (see above). However, it is interesting that some of

the resulting digital stories which the participant designed took that

perspective. We have not included the digital stories here, but will work with

them further in contributing to the website and the digital stories that the

project will produce.


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EMPLOYERS FROM THE FOLLOWING COUNTRY:

__Denmark____

I.

Number of companies: Two

INTRODUCTION

Number of institutions:

Nature of institutions (public/private): One big private company, and one

Advisory Service for a professional sector

Number of academic staff employed:

In the private company, more than half of the employees are academics, about

1200. They are mainly from the natural or ‘hard’ sciences. From the humanities,

there are around 50 academic, e.g. in the Communication or Human Resources

divisions.

In the advisory service, more than three quarters of the employees are

academics, about 500. They are mainly from the agricultural sciences, but also

from many other professions, e.g. economics, engineers, language,

communication, journalism, teachers.

Further vacancies for academic staff:

In the private company: Yes, constantly

In the advisory service, they estimate a growing need for academics in the

following years.

II.

a) What is important for decision of hiring graduates / Factors to be considered to find ideal candidate:

SEARCHING FOR A JOB

In the private company: This depends very much on the specific job type, but

first of all the professional / specialist qualifications are important.


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In the advisory service, they examine the applicants’ CV, with focus on first

of all the professional qualifications, but also: - Have the applicant been

actively engaged in the study period? - Relevant student jobs? - Spare time

interests or volunteer work in associations/clubs? - Been travelling abroad? All

of this is valued positively

b) Where vacancies are published:

In the private company: Every job is announced on the company website.

90-95% of the job positions are also announced at other websites or job

indexes, e.g. JobFinder, StepStone, IT-JobBank; the specific websites

depends on the specific kind of job. Sometimes they are also announced at

websites from other countries. A few positions are also announced in

newspapers, if it is considered to be efficient in order to find the right

candidate.

In the advisory service, they use different channels: Explicit job

announcements; Unsolicited/unprompted applications; and hiring through

internships/volunteers. All positions are announced on the company webpage.

The majority of positions are also announced in print newspapers and in

internet newpapers. Only a few times internetbased job databases are used.

c) Importance of course of studies for selection:

In the private company, there are two answers: Regarding engineer

positions, that are very specialised, it is very important that the applicant’s

specific field of study matches the job offer. Regarding applicants from the

humanities, they are more generally qualified, so the specific study is not

equally important.

In the advisory service, the specific study is not as important nowadays as it

was before. Earlier, almost all staff was educated at the same agricultural

university institute. Later, to stay in the market, they had to broaden their staff

to other professions, at first reluctantly, but now it is seen as a positive

contribution to the company to hold many professions.

d) Relevancy of number of semesters:

e) Advantages of hiring graduated:

f) Role of networks:


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In the private company: Networks (in a broad sense) are used deliberately,

because the company brands itself at specific universities, high schools, trade

fairs etc. in order to attract potential future candidates to the company. This is

mainly done regarding positions from the natural sciences, not much regarding

position from the humanities.

In the advisory service, they now recruit from various universities and

departments, instead of just one, and try therefore to brand themselves to

future graduates from the different universities. This is also done by

developing a new way of doing internships, as a short one-week introductory

internship, which may lead to a longer volunteer period. Networks and

personal knowledge are considered very valuable.

g) Number of vacancies explicitly published:

In the private company: In 2008 many positions were announced: between

100 and 150 positions.

In the advisory service, there are about 50-60 academic positions available

every year.

III.

a) How long in advance are vacancies published:

APPLICATION PROCESS

In the private company: It depends very much on the company’s needs and

the specific possibilities.

b) Number of application received/ number of invitations to interview:

In the private company they receive from 2 to 150 applications. It depends

on how specific the position is: The more specific (natural sciences), the fewer

applications; and the less specific (humanities), the more applications. It also

depends on how long time the position is open: The longer the position is open

on the website, the more applications they receive.

Usually they invite 6-8 applicants for interviews, but it depends on the specific

position.

In the advisory service, they receive from a few to more than 500


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applications. Also here, it depends on how specific the position is: The more

specific (agricultural sciences), the fewer applications; and the less specific

(humanities), the more applications.

Usually 3 applicants are invited for interviews, but it depends on the specific

position.

c) Timeframe for employment after first contact:

In the private company, it may take from two weeks to five months, but most

often it takes two to three months, from the time the application is delivered

and until the new candidate begins the job.

They may have 1, 2 or 3 rounds of interviews before they choose a candidate;

e.g. a meeting with the HR, and a meeting with the specific division.

Some companies prefer that the HR-division does the whole process and finds

the right candidate. Other companies lets the HR-division do the organising,

preparation and guidance, while the concrete selection is done by the specific

department, where the position is.

In the advisory service, it usually takes just about two weeks from the time

the application is delivered and until the new candidate is hired and may begin

the job.

They may typically have 1 or 2 rounds of interviews before they choose a

candidate.

IV.

a) How to identify graduates’ abilities and potential abilities:

SELECTION

In the private company, this is done by the leader of the specific division.

Knowledge and capability of candidates in relation to vacancy:

In the private company, It is difficult to describe this generally. For instance;

sometimes an extrovert person will fit the job; sometimes an introvert. Specific

needs of capabilities are specified in the specific announcements for jobs. Factors that help to identify the ideal candidate:

b) Other factors that have influenced choice of particular candidate:


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In the private company, factors may be the screening of applications; and

the feedback between the HR and the specific division.

V.

a) Importance of number and place of internships:

CANDIDATE’S WORK EXPERIENCE

Importance of knowing the candidate to previous internships: b) How to evaluate previous work experience:

Importance of previous work experience: c) Relation to previous jobs/internships to current employment:

Advantages of knowing a candidate: In the private company:

- Internships as well as previous work experiences are very important, because

it is seldom that applicants who have just graduated have enough experience

and knowledge.

- It is a very big advantage for the applicant, if he or she has had an internship

or a previous working experience in the company, because then the company

may better assess the personal qualifications.

- So it may well be a good idea to start in a position quite ‘low’ in the company in

order to later finding a new or better position in the company.

In the advisory service: - Internships and volunteer work periods are very important, because it gives a

personal knowledge of the applicant. Often, if a volunteer work period during

study has performed well, the candidate will be offered a job already before he

or she has graduated!

VI.

a) Personal abilities that supported the process of finding a candidate:

CANDIDATE’S SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Advantages of hiring graduates:

The private company will probably always prefer applicants with previous

work experience. Especially newly graduated applicants from the humanities


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without supplemental working experience will most likely not have sufficient

experiences.

In the advisory service, the advantages of hiring newly graduated or well-

experienced applicants depends on the specific job. What counts as positive

to the newly graduated is that sometimes they may contribute with valuable

new knowledge, - and often they are cheaper to hire than well-experienced

applicants.

Abilities that are important for being hired:

The private company: It is important to have gained a good knowledge of the

company.

In the advisory service, which was located in the agricultural sector, it may

be of value if you have grown up on the countryside, as well in the specific

agricultural jobs as in the broader human-oriented jobs.

After being hired, many employees take further education with support from

the company, small courses as well as longer educational periods. The

specific field depends on the person and the job, but often courses in

counselling methods are taken.

b) Role of foreign languages:

The private company: Foreign languages are not important in all jobs. But

often English is used to some extent. Knowledge of other languages differs

according to the specific job. For some marketing jobs, knowledge of Spanish

or French might be demanded.

In the advisory service, knowledge of English is rather important in all jobs,

other languages are not required, except for specific jobs.

Importance of the study/working experience abroad:

In the private company, study and work experiences from other countries

matters, not only because of languages, but also because of knowledge of

how things are done otherwise.

In the advisory service, study and work experiences from other countries

matters, not only because of languages, but also because of knowledge of

how things are done otherwise.


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c) Familiarity with ePortfolios:

The private company: they work with digital version of applications and CV’s.

There are online application procedures at the company website, for

advertised job offers as well as for unsolicited applications. The online

application procedure is mainly text-based, but is supplemented by an upload

facility, where a CV has to be uploaded together with the application.

Principally, this CV could contain video or audio content.

- The company also has some digital stories on their website. The stories are

short presentations (a photo and a half page of text) of four employees from

different divisions of the company.

In the advisory service, there are online application procedures at the

company website, for the advertised job offers as well as for unsolicited

applications. But actually, contrary to using the online application, they value

highly the personal knowledge, e.g. by delivering your application personally.

What is important/ What needs to be kept in mind when creating an ePortfolio:

The private company: it is important to make it flexible and easy for the

applicant to upload information (e.g. be accepting a lot of different file formats).

Major difficulties for selection of ePortfolios:

VII.

b) Recommendations/ further advice to future candidates:

CONCLUSION

The private company: Carry out the application work thoroughly and write a

motivated, justified and focused application, which is directed at the specific job at

the specific company. Include a well-structured CV, also targeted at the specific

job, and copies of exam papers (better send them at first; as it is annoying for the

employer to have to ask for them later). Prepare yourself and find out important

knowledge of the company beforehand.

The advisory service: It is regarded positive to attach letters of recommendations

together with the application and the CV. The recommendations will be taken into

account.


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- Get a kind of connection to the company you wish to work for. For instance,

writing your final paper in relation to a company, and obtain a contact with a

specific member of the staff.

- Personal knowledge is very valuable. Therefore, deliver your application

personally, so that the possible future colleagues might get to know you. Send

uninvited applications. Call and ask if you may drop by an deliver an application.

To do this demands a bit of courage, and this is valued high in the consultant

company


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ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY:

The Danish labour market model - a contribution to the needs analysis (WP4) of the L@JOST-project Rikke Ørngreen, Karin Levinsen and Lars Birch Andreasen, DPU, Denmark.

The organisation of the Danish labour market differs from other countries in the EU. The organisational form - the so-called Danish Model - was implemented in the September Settlement of 1899 and also the unemployment benefit system has existed for almost one hundred years. The Danish Model has been considered a model for the EU system and the unique system impacts on what it means both to be job seeking and to be employed/unemployed in Denmark. Due to this history Denmark has had a tradition for not only a large degree of public involvement, of using trade unions as the entry point for job seeking processes, but also having unemployment insurance funds and governmental supported initiatives for educating the general public about how to find and get jobs.

In the following we present the Danish labour market model, the L@JOST related initiatives carried out within selected unions and insurance funds (selected on the basis of the L@JOST domain area of education), as well as we look at some Danish governmental as well as private grass-root initiatives of relevance to digital story telling. Supplementing this, we also have reports analysing the job history of newly graduated students from The Danish School of Education. These reports will be included in the national needs analysis for the project.

1. The Danish Model and Flexicurity

The Danish Model consists of the three elements: Collaboration between three parts (employees, employers and the state), the organisations (unions and the employers' associations), and collective agreements.

The three parts have different interests. However, as long as the employers’ and employees’ organisations collaborate and reach collective agreements they control the regulation of labour market matters and the state does not interfere with statutory regulation. The framework for collaboration between the organisations is established in the General Agreement, while wages and working conditions are decided in the bargained agreements. In case of conflict the final agreements are set by the Industrial Arbitration or in the Court of Labour Law. Strong labour market organisations with a high membership rate are preconditions for a system based on the social partners’ self-regulation and this is also the case in Denmark and thus, illegal strikes are rare in Denmark compared to other EU

The state

Employers

Trade unions

Collective agreements

Figure 1: The Danish labour market Model


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countries. However, the co-operation in the EU has led to legislation in different fields, but the core issues are still exclusively left to the social partners to decide through the collective bargaining system. Since the mid 1990’ies, The Danish Model has been extended with the so-called Flexicurity (contraction of flexibility and security). Flexicurity combines flexibility on the labour market with social security and an active labour market policy with rights and obligations for the unemployed. The flexible rules make it easy for employers to dismiss and hire new employees depending on the state of the market. The security rules guarantee the wage earners a legally specified payment when unemployed. This payment, called ‘unemployment benefit’, is on a relatively high level, regardless of the spouse’s income, and for a limited period. The labour market system offers guidance, job or education to all unemployed. The system differentiates between the unemployed insured persons (who may receive unemployment benefits from an Unemployment Insurance Fund) and the unemployed uninsured persons (who may receive social assistance or start help from the municipality). Unemployment insurance is a voluntary scheme administered by the unemployment insurance funds that are private associations of employees with the sole purpose of ensuring economic support in the event of unemployment. Unemployment benefits are, however, largely financed by the State. In case of unemployment the person register at the Public Employment Service (called ‘Job center’) on the first day as unemployed and contact his or her Unemployment Insurance Fund. It is important to notice that Trade unions and unemployment insurance funds are not the same. In many cases, however, there are close ties between specific trade unions and insurance funds.

2. The trade unions and job seeking

The professions related to the L@jost Project are covered by three major trade unions:

• The Danish Association of Masters and PhDs - DM • Danish Association of Lawyers and Economists - DJØF • The Danish Society of Engineers - IDA

As can be seen below, the three unions all have offers for job seekers, newly graduated and unemployed members. However, the depth as well as the width of the offers differ as the unions are independent organisations. They all offer an English translation of their entire websites but only DJØF and IDA offers special information aimed at job seeking foreigners.

The Danish Association of Masters and PhDs - DM

The union offers an online job finding database that is public (see figure 2). When logging in at the website, members are offered more sophisticated options, such as a job agent with online CV etc.


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Figure 2: At the website of DM: Find a job at ’magisterjob.dk’

The union also offers advice in job seeking, career guidance, and competence development courses. The union facilitates network communities among members, based on a combination of a virtual forum and physical meetings. However, the networks are aimed more at knowledge sharing than job seeking.

Danish Association of Lawyers and Economists - DJØF

DJØF offers a job agent for members. But the union has a more distinct profile regarding job seeking and career development than DM. Thus, the DJØF website offers the following services (Author’s translation from Danish):

Career development

Be inspired in your current job and prepare for the next job.

Job seeking advice

Here you find advice and guidance on how to make the next step in the career. Use our clarification tools to sharpen your profile and get advice on how to apply and write your CV. Get dressed for the job interview.

DJØF Job universe

Find the dream job! Sign up for the job agent and set up your CV. The dream job will arrive – as soon as it is advertised.

For the job seeker

If you are unemployed and job seeking DJØF makes you ready for your new job. We give advice on job seeking, CV and how to apply for jobs. We offer courses …

Studiejob.nu (student jobs)

Studiejob.nu is the page for the student who wants a super relevant student job or for the


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employer who wants to advertice after the best young brains in the country. All jobs on this page is selected specially for DJØF students.

Meetings

Be inspired by other DJØFs and develop your career and competencies

Network

The world is changeable and we are constanty met by new demands and the need for developing personal and professional competencies. A network is an important tool to access new knowledge.

Mentor arrangements

Do you need individual sparring and advice in relation to your career then DJØF offers a mentor arrangement. Newly graduated

You are almost graduated but how is it with all the practical things in relation to the job market, the union membership and unemployment benefit?

Furthermore, DJØF offers specific information for foreigners who are considering Denmark as a possible place to go and work (see figure 3).

Figure 3: At the website of DJØF: Working and living in Denmark

The Danish Society of Engineers - IDA

Besides offering similar options as DM and DJØF, IDA has a specific initiative for foreigners (see figure 4). The initiative is formulated as an invitation – Come work and live in Denmark – rather than just information and introduces to a range of relevant questions a foreigner is expected to ask before deciding and arriving.


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o Arrival Guide o Before you leave your home country o Check List o Danish Labour Market o Links to relevant websites o Living in Denmark o Why choose Denmark

Figure 4: At the website of IDA: Come Work and Live in Denmark

3. Unemployment insurance funds and job seeking

The Danish Unemployment Insurance Fund for Academics - AAK

Of relevance to the L@JOST project is the Danish Unemployment Insurance Fund for Academics, named AAK (www.aak.dk – see figure 5), which have a two-fold objective. One is of course the provision of economical support for members who become unemployed or perhaps economical support in the case of pregnancy etc (and in Denmark this economic support is compared to many southern European systems relatively high, though the monthly insurance paid is also high). Secondly, AAK offers a wide range of services connected to aiding in getting a new job. This includes:

“In connection with our offices in Copenhagen and Århus we provide Activity centres, e.g. computers, internet, fax, photocopier, the daily newspapers, coffee, tea and a chat with other members.

In both of AAK's offices you will find counsellors. The counsellors are well informed about what is happening on the academic labour market. Therefore, if you need information on this matter or if you

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need to consult someone about your application, your CV, if you need help with your Job Plan, feel free to contact us.“ (from website http://www.aak.dk/?id=189, 19 march 2009)

Figure 5: Website of AAK

The Danish Unemployment Insurance Fund for Masters and PhDs - MA

Another insurance fund of relevance to the L@JOST project is The Danish Unemployment Insurance Fund for Masters and PhDs, MA (www.ma-kasse.dk – see figure 6). Like AAK, MA also offers services connected to getting a job, besides the economic support for unemployed members. One of the services on their website is called JobForum, which contains:

- A number of job stories, where employees tell about their job and how they found it. The job stories have the format of a two-page written article.

- Articles on the process of job seeking: writing an application, performing a job interview, doing tests, guides to CVs, networking etc.

- A “tip of the week” on job seeking - Links to job databases and other ressources


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Figure 6: JobForum at the website of MA

Even though the unemployment insurance funds to a large degree are paid by its members, they are very much related to regulation by and cooperation with the Danish public unemployment centres (see below). In order to claim unemployment benefits the member has to contact the job centre to fill out an unemployment declaration form, to prove one has been fired or similar (as if one’s contract ran out etc). Also, in order to keep on receiving benefits, the member also has to be an active jobseeker both in relation to the insurance fund and the public job centre.

4. Public employment service and job seeking

The job centres are the public employment service for jobseekers and employers in Denmark. The active employment policy aims at ensuring a well-functioning flexicurity system. The active labour market policy has four overall objectives:

• to assist jobseekers in finding a job, • to offer services to private and public employers who are looking for labour or wish to retain

their workforce, • to help persons who are receiving social assistance or start help to find a job quickly so that

they will be able to support themselves and their families, • to help persons who due to reduced working capacity have a special need for assistance in

finding a job. The employment measures apply to all unemployed persons irrespective of whether they are receiving unemployment benefits, social assistance, start help or sickness benefits. All unemployed persons have a right and duty to receive an activation offer.

In every municipality there are information centres and ‘help yourself offices’ for unemployed person to use. These jobcentres also hosts general information for jobseekers on the job seeking process.


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Online the jobcentres host two official database services; a Job-bank with job offers and a CV-bank with online CVs of job seekers. Every unemployed person is obliged to maintain an electronic CV in the official job seeking portal (www.jobnet.dk) in order to be an active jobseeker.

Another official job seeking website is www.workindenmark.dk, a website for connecting international job seekers and Danish companies, which is hosted by The Danish Labour Market Directorate (“Arbejdsmarkedsstyrelse”) in collaboration with EURES (the European Employment Services).

5. L@JOST digital story telling and the Danish Broadcasting Corporation - DR

“DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) is Denmark’s oldest and largest electronic media enterprise. The corporation was founded in 1925 as a public service organisation. DR is an independent, licence financed public institution.” (from website http://www.dr.dk/OmDR/About+DR/20060622150803.htm, 19 march 2009)

Due to its public service obligations there was for many years a strong focus on the production of educational oriented materials and in the later years in particular on jobfinding processes, competence development as well as the integration of (2nd and now 3rd generation) immigrants into the labour market.

These productions, which are in the format of radio, tv as well as new media (web and podcast productions) sometimes takes the form of high quality individual or collective stories, from which others can learn. See as examples figure 7, 8 and 9:

Figure 7: Description of a storytelling video clip at the website of DR


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Figure 8: Website about the TV programmes ‘Finding a job’

Figure 9: An educational website on ‘Working life’


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6. Other initiatives on job seeking and storytelling

There are a number of private initiatives related to job seeking involving different kinds of storytelling.

LiveJob

The websites www.livejob.dk, which opened in 2007, and the English-speaking www.livejob.eu from 2008, are job recruiting systems based on VideoCV’s from employers as well as from job seekers. According to their website it is apparently the worlds first job recruiting initiative based on VideoCV’s and video presentations of the companies involved.

An interesting example of a videoCV at LiveJob is the “video of the month” from August 2008, which is made by Zulma Pataroya, who during the two-and-a-half minute video presents herself while speaking as well Spanish, English and Danish walking in a room with a map of the world.

Link: http://livejob.dk/index.php?mod=main&area=1&top=12&parent=12&id=87

JobCard

The website www.jobcard.dk is a private company offering professional help for job seeking, CV production, application writing and job interview training.

JobCard is a collaboration partner with another Danish job portal, www.jobzonen.dk, which has developed a number of multimedia initiatives, e.g. an interface for mobile phones to access to the job database, and a cooperation with the second Danish public TV station, TV2.

StepStone

Stepstone is an online job portal network represented in 13 European countries and offering recruiting in 23 European countries. Job seekers can register their CV online and add pictures and documents to the CV.

The best job in the world ?

Not a Danish initiative, but nevertheless: A website for a vacant position at the Great Barrier Reef

in Australia received over 34.000 applicants. This shows that people are able to make video stories,

some of high quality, others are just webcam recordings, but with great messages with an edge. See

www.islandreefjob.com.

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aalborg universitet the danish contribution andreasen, lars … · project acronym: l@jost project...

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